La Plaza Cultural and the 9 BC Garden was founded
in 1976 with a 1 year short-term lease changed to
Greenthumb licence in 1996. It consist of 100
members, and 27,000 sq. ft. of land that includes a
large park and attached garden with approximately 30
plots.

Hundreds of people in this neighborhood are served
yearly by this park. Thousands have been served in
the past, however the numbers are recently lower due
to present renovations. Future projects are much
higher, especially concerning children's groups.

The ages of the members range from 8 to
60-something. They are black, Hispanic (many
nationalities), white (many nationalities), and
Asian.

There have been many activities in the garden
space. There is an amphitheater performance area.
There have been plays, concerts weddings, memorials,
block parties, barbecues, picnics, church services,
dedications and most recently, volunteer work parties
and children's planting programs. Many performances
and programs (especially to benefit neighborhood
children) are planned upon completion of the park's
renovation.

La Matta Clark, an artist, started to clear the
lots. Chino and Armondo of Charas worked with
Buckminster Fuller to build a geodesic dome for
performances. Mary Owens and David Bobar obtained the
GT lease for a community garden. La Plaza joined the
garden and shut down temporarily for renovations. It
is now open on weekends until renovations are
completed. This garden's history is incredibly
complex and very fascinating. To find out more please
seek-out the chairperson.

Rebuilding the community garden and park has
brought together many diverse groups of people. It
has provided a performance space that is unparalleled
in this neighborhood. It is an incredible resource
for children and adults wishing to commune with the
city's natural element. It is a space to grow
vegetables and fruit. It is beautiful to see and
experience. It has given many a cause to fight for in
a neighborhood quickly slipping away. It has been for
20 years an incredible catalyst for many incredible
things. It is a one-of-a-kind resource, not to be
lost.

Destroying this park and garden will destroy all
that is mentioned above. What's more, it will make
this block, this neighborhood and this city all that
more bleak. It would destroy two decades of community
involvement, of social statement, of art and culture
that is imbued in its many forms of this space. It
will take away the roots that connect the community
and that make the fabric of community life. This
garden fought a lengthy and expensive legal battle to
prevent middle class housing to be placed there.
Members found out that two streams run under the lots
making it a ridiculous place to have a solid
foundation. This suggests that this garden, and
perhaps others, are the most sound development
choices. In addition the ecological significance of
these gardens is much higher then any other land use
in the neighborhood. Researchers have shown that
views of vegetation help to relieve stress and are
therapeutic. Education experts urge schools to
include hands-on environmental education in their
curriculum. Relestate values in the city can be
doubled with just a view of a garden (ask the gardens
neighbors). These are just a minute few of the myriad
of reasons to save the gardens...the list could go on
for days.